Changes rumored for iAd with Apple switching to new hands-off role

Advertising is such a pervasive part of our mobile device experience, yet one that’s all too easy to take for granted: there are tons of ads out there, they pop up in our apps and mobile browsers, but who are the players behind them? On iOS, Apple’s been holding the reins with its own iAd platform, giving developers a convenient way to embed advertisements within their App-Store-sold titles, making even free-to-download apps a potentially hugely profitable endeavor. But last year we started to pick up on some changing attitudes at Apple when it comes to the company’s relationship with advertising, made all too clear with the arrival of support for web-based ad-blockers with iOS 9. Now Apple could be about to make another big move in terms of mobile advertising, letting go of its middleman role in ad sales through iAd.

According to this rumor, Apple’s planning to step away from the ad sales business and transform iAd into an advertising clearing house that will connect app publishers with ad sellers. The big difference there, at least as far as Apple’s bottom line is concerned, is that the company would no longer take its 30 percent cut of all ad revenue passing through iAd’s doors.

The rumored move is being interpreted as a tacit admission that Apple’s failed to succeed in the ad-sales game, with complaints of creative interference and aggressive sales tactics tainting the iAd experience. And while the company would be turning down the income it saw from iAd, it’s not like Apple is hurting for revenue streams, and a move that makes its publishers happy might be far more valuable than nickel-and-diming them on ad income.

As of yet, Apple hasn’t officially confirmed any of these iAd changes, and for the moment the platform continues operation as usual.

Stephen has been writing about electronics since 2008, which only serves to frustrate him that he waited so long to combine his love of gadgets and his degree in writing. In his spare time, he collects console and arcade game hardware, is a motorcycle enthusiast, and enjoys trapping blue crabs. Stephen’s first mobile device was a 624 MHz Dell Axim X30, which he’s convinced is still a viable platform. Stephen longs for a market where phones are sold independently of service, and bandwidth is cheap and plentiful; he’s not holding his breath. In the meantime, he devours smartphone news and tries to sort out the juicy bits